Janet

Oakland Elementary will have six new promethean boards across the grade levels sometime this fall. My focus is how to increase student achievement through the integrated use of Web 2.0 tools aligned with the district planning guides and curriculum.

The key teachers I want to focus on are those receiving the new smart boards at each of the following levels; Kindergarten, second, fourth, fifth and the Art teacher. I want to have some conversations about what key essential learnings will facilitate both the 21st century skills, critical thinking and the use of technology. So I'll keep you posted as to what is manifested by our conversations.

Here are the notes from my meeting with several key teachers from Kindergarten to 5th grade. Our meeting notes are on another wiki at http://21thinktank.wikispaces.com/ //Some highlights from this meeting://

Mission
To increase the use of 21st century learning standards at Oakland through practice, assessment, reflection, and collaboration.

Objectives

 * 1) Align the 21st century learning standards of critical thinking, integrated technology, authentic learning experiences, and information literacy with literacy planning guides, social studies, and science curriculum
 * 2) Design benchmark lessons that are integrated with 21st century stardards and curricular componenets
 * 3) Imbed these lessons in our practice so that each year we build the capacity of students to use identified technologies, higher order thinking, and information literacy from ECE-5th grade
 * 4) Share our learning process of collaborative planning, instruction, and assessment in a open and transparent way with our teaching partners, parents, and community of learners ​

Here are some of my planned projects this month: __Planned__ Kindergarten - Questioning, Mental mapping, Technology Shark Study using mental models/graphic organizers and Kidspiration

__Brainstorming Phase:__ 2nd grade - Animal research unit - Critical Thinking and Presentation using Technology // A generous beneficary is giving Oakland one million dollars to make a new zoo in Montbello! What animals should we house? What will we need for your animals habitat? What will we feed your animal? Make a presentation and your class will vote for which animals will come to our zoo! //